At the recent New Zealand National Bridge Congress, the Coutts team (James Coutts, Nick Jacob, Michael Courtney, Rose Don, Liam Milne and Tony Nunn) won all 10 qualifying matches to lead the field going into the KOs, and then won the 4 KO matches to take the title. They gave their friends and fans a bit of a fright in the semi when they lost each of the first 3 sets small, but they ran a tough 45-3 over the last 12 board set to end up with a comfortable win.

I tuned in on BBO halfway through the 5 set (out of 6) of the final just in time to catch this fascinating hand with Liam Milne South, and Tony Nunn North.

North

♠

A987

♥

AK54

♦

86

♣

A65

South

♠

K5

♥

J6

♦

AKQ954

♣

K98

W

N

E

S

1♦

P

1♥

P

2NT

P

3♦

P

3NT

P

6NT

P

P

P

On the ♣J lead, there are a lot of possibilities. Obviously 6NT is dead easy if ♦'s are 3-2. You could safety play the ♦'s to guard against a 5-0 break but if they were 3-2 all along, you'll have to figure out a squeeze ending to get back to the 2 top tricks you had at the start, so that doesn't look like a great plan.

How would you proceed?

Liam went middle. He elected to win ♣A, partly to preserve entry fluidity, and partly to pull ♦8 just in case East made the tired mistake of covering.

West

♠

♥

♦

♣

North

♠

A987

♥

AK54

♦

86

♣

A65

East

♠

♥

♦

♣

South

♠

K5

♥

J6

♦

AKQ954

♣

K98

W

N

E

S

1♦

P

1♥

P

2N

P

3♦

P

3N

P

6N

P

P

P

D

6NT South

NS: 0 EW: 0

♣J

♣A

♣3

♣8

1

1

0

♦8

♦3

♦A

♦2

3

2

0

♦K

♥2

♦6

♦7

3

3

0

♦Q

♣2

♠7

♦10

3

4

0

♦9

♥3

♥4

♦J

2

4

1

♣4

♣K

♣10

♣5

3

5

1

♦5

♠2

♣6

♣7

3

6

1

7

East isn't that silly of course, so Liam cleared ♦'s as West pitched ♥-♣-♥. East returned a ♣, which Liam won, noting the fall of the 10.

Clearly East held the ♣Q and the only ♣ guard, so Liam could easily cash the 5th ♦, throwing the last ♣ from the board, and then take stock.

There are possible simple and double squeezes floating round (and in an earlier variation even a guard squeeze). Who do you squeeze how now?

Liam was very confident West had started with 5♥, given his stiff ♦ and apparent 3 card ♣ holding. Accordingly, Liam cashed ♥AK to kill East's idle cards, crossed back to hand with the ♠K and plonked the last ♦ on the table to execute the double squeeze on ♠'s

West

♠

QJ6

♥

Q108

♦

♣

North

♠

A98

♥

AK5

♦

♣

East

♠

1043

♥

97

♦

♣

Q

South

♠

K5

♥

J6

♦

4

♣

9

W

N

E

S

1♦

P

1♥

P

2N

P

3♦

P

3N

P

6N

P

P

P

D

6NT South

NS: 0 EW: 0

♥8

♥A

♥7

♥6

1

1

0

♥K

♥9

♥J

♥Q

1

2

0

♠8

♠3

♠K

♠6

3

3

0

♦4

4

It's easy to criticize West's defence but remember that it's a pressure situation after a week of typical Kiwi "Ironman" bridge (as I understand it, the first two KO days were 72 boards each, behind screens from the semis). Pitching the "lazy 5th" first wasn't best, and pitching a ♣ was an error. You're clearly going to have to pitch at least one ♠, so that should go first, and you have to assume partner has help in ♠'s or you're completely dead, so you should just do the regular thing and pitch the threat on your left (ie ultimately ditch your ♠ guard).

In the other room, Michael Courtney started a ♠, and finished grimly clutching his ♥ and ♣ guards, thereby defeating 6NT.

Well done to Liam for accurate card-reading and Michael for accurate defence, combining to pick up 17 imps for their team on the way to a solid and well-deserved win.

[PS. I know the 1st ♥ trick on this page is out of order; If someone can explain to me how to fix that I'll be happy to do so. The next page is just the full hand in case you prefer to look at it that way]

And the full hand ...

West

♠

QJ62

♥

Q10832

♦

2

♣

J102

North

♠

A987

♥

AK54

♦

86

♣

A65

East

♠

1043

♥

97

♦

J1073

♣

Q743

South

♠

K5

♥

J6

♦

AKQ954

♣

K98

W

N

E

S

1♦

P

1♥

P

2N

P

3♦

P

3N

P

6N

P

P

P

D

6NT South

NS: 0 EW: 0

♣J

♣A

♣3

♣8

1

1

0

♦8

♦3

♦A

♦2

3

2

0

♦K

♥2

♦6

♦7

3

3

0

♦Q

♣2

♠7

♦10

3

4

0

♦9

♥3

♥4

♦J

2

4

1

♣4

♣K

♣10

♣5

3

5

1

♦5

♠2

♣6

♣7

3

6

1

♥6

♥8

♥A

♥7

1

7

1

♥K

♥9

♥J

♥Q

1

8

1

♠8

♠3

♠K

♠6

3

9

1

♦4

11

By the way, the BBO play record is slightly wrong. I've confirmed the actual sequence of pitches with Liam.

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